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They were born at 25 weeks after being diagnosed with a rare condition ‑ twin to twin transfusion syndrome ‑ and the girls’ parents Liz and Craig were braced for the chance their babies might not make it. But five years after undergoing life-saving surgery in the womb, they are thriving.

Mum Liz Ledsham-Jones said: “It’s quite rare, the chances of survival were very slim, and we were told that Madelyn would pass away and the surgery we needed to undergo while they were still in the womb would be to save Emelia’s life.

“It was a very grim time for us, it was awful.

“Their big sister Cari had turned two and was only a baby herself when she had to try to understand her mummy and daddy would need to be away from home for the next few months.

“The surgery involved a world-renowned surgeon going into my womb with a laser probe with a camera on the end of it.

“He went into the sack where Madelyn was and said, ‘I want you to see her while she’s alive’, and we were able to see this little baby. It was incredible and so emotional, she was sticking her tongue out, her eyes were closed but we could see her little eyelashes and nails and she was absolutely perfect.”

Despite the prognosis, Liz’s waters broke a few days later, and Madelyn and Emelia were born at Wrexham Maelor Hospital by emergency C-section weighing 1lb 4oz and 1lb 5oz.

Doctors feared if they survived, they would never walk, speak or maybe even eat, but Madelyn and Emelia have thrived and have the “biggest smiles, a huge love of life and they have the most amazing mermaid hair”, Liz said.

“Even though they still have around eight hospital appointments a month, it’s amazing to see how much they’ve come on. It’s true what they say, from little acorns, mighty oaks grow.”

Now the siblings have agreed to raise money for Cherish Wrecsam (Wrexham Special Care Baby Unit’s charity) by donating their locks to the Little Princess Trust, a charity that supplies real hair wigs to children and young adults who have experienced hair loss through treatment.

A Just Giving page has been set up with the siblings having raised more than £400.

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